Given the looming municipal budget, council has tough choices ahead ["Council struggles with long term debt," The Chief, May 1]: increase revenue by means of property taxes (the only jurisdiction over taxation that municipalities have) and/or reduce expenditures - thereby perpetuating chronic underfunding to important services like road maintenance and snow removal.
While we have seen several tax increases recently, our community continues to enjoy one of the lowest tax rates in B.C. (source: Ministry of Community Development, http://www.cd.gov.bc.ca/lgd/infra/tax_rates/tax_rates2007.htm).
I must clarify that the early promise of a "leaner, meaner budget" is, at best, a misleading dichotomy, and a premature misspeak made in ignorance by one councillor of the district's fiscal situation.
While new income generating schemes (corporate sponsorship of the Adventure Centre, an impossible municipal lottery, and a high-risk, dubiously proposed "Community Power Project") fall flat, this newly elected government finds itself struggling to maintain balance in a delicate situation.
While there may be some cost-cutting potential, reducing expenditures will prove to be a near-impossible and irresponsible undertaking, as inflation and population growth have compounded the effects of years of funding cuts.
We must keep in mind that 撸奶社区faces an unacceptable infrastructure deficit, and an addiction to long-term debt that has mortgaged this town and enslaved us to a future of debt repayment - six cents of every tax dollar, according to District figures.
The most current data shows this debt totalling seventeen million dollars - some of it bearing interest over 10 per cent (source: page 25, 2007 Consolidated Financial Statement). The prudent reality is that council must raise taxes.
In addition, the availability of public information on district spending does not yet comply with 21st century expectations, being either non-existent or unavailable.
Even worse, the consolidated financial statements are not prepared in advance of the budget, leaving council and the community perilously blind without vital financial information. Public finances must be accessible.
To promote transparency, accountability, and public input, council should replace the ineffective Finance Committee (of which the public is excluded membership) with a Citizens Oversight Committee, with a mandate to audit district expenditures and revenue under the supervision of the director of finance. Such a committee would provide valuable insight and recommendations on fiscal policy.
This budget will clearly indicate the priorities of this council, and set the tone for the remainder of their term. My hope is they are courageous and hold the conviction to do what is right. Reasonably increasing taxes is the responsible course of action.
David Clarkson
Squamish
